Follow us on
Christmas Guide
Top Christmas Activities this 2019 to Get You Feeling Festive
Feel the holiday vibe with these Christmas activities for you and your loved ones.
By: Peter Parcon | December 22, 2019
Due to changing quarantine measures, the activities, destination/s, store/s, establishment/s featured in this article might be temporarily prohibited or closed under the latest government policies. LGUs might also implement health protocols and travel requirements. Please get in touch with the establishment/s before visiting. Stay safe!
Christmas is made more colorful with the traditions Filipinos have during the season.
Christmas is indeed the most wonderful time of the year! And for Filipinos, the season starts as early as September and extends up to the Feast of the Three Kings. It may even last up until the Feast of the Santo Niño (Holy Child). But the Christmas activities this 2019 are more than just gift-giving and caroling. Some Filipinos want to complete all nine days of the Simbang Gabi (dawn masses) while others organize family reunions for relatives living in other parts of the world.
Since there are many Filipino Christmas traditions, we asked our readers what are the Christmas activities this 2019 they would normally do during the season. We wanted to know and they answered. And the results are rather heartwarming.
5. See the Giant Lantern Festival in the Christmas Capital of the Philippines
Witnessing the vivid colors created by giant lanterns is one of the reasons tourists attend the Giant Lantern Festival every year.
Image: Giant Lantern Facebook page
Fifth place of this list is to see the Giant Lantern Festival in the Christmas Capital of the Philippines which features a competition of giant lanterns or parols in San Fernando, Pampanga. Its popularity allowed the city to be christened as the “Christmas Capital of the Philippines”. The festival started as a simple event at neighboring town of Bacolor before it became the festival it is now after the provincial capital was transferred to San Fernando. The giant lanterns have a width of around fifteen feet and feature awe-inspiring designs. Thousands of tourists also visit San Fernando every year to witness the kaleidoscope of colors these giant lanterns create. The Giant Lantern Festival typically starts in the middle of December and ends on January 2.
4. Go Christmas Caroling and Christmas Shopping
Christmas caroling and Christmas shopping come in fourth place on the top things to do on Christmas.
Go Christmas Caroling
Christmas caroling is another Filipino tradition where Christmas carols are sung to put a smile on everyone’s faces during the holiday season.
Christmas in the Philippines is never complete without listening to angelic voices singing popular Christmas carols. While listening to Christmas carols is great, being a part of the choir is even better. In the past, kids singing Christmas carols used home-made tambourines as their accompaniment. These days, carolers sing to the tune provided by digital musical equipment. They also have a wide repertoire of songs that can easily put a smile on anyone’s face. Moreover, they also have more benevolent intentions and donate most of the money to charitable institutions.
Christmas Shopping
Christmas shopping can be a gratifying experience if you can put a smile on the faces of family and friends.
Christmas shopping joins Christmas caroling in fourth place. This reflects the thrill some people get from Christmas shopping. Moreover, they may also find it fulfilling to find discounts for the items they are looking for. But before you go out and spend your Christmas bonus for some holiday shopping, you should consider some things to ensure that you will have a wonderful shopping experience.
First of all, you should start with a Christmas list and plan out your shopping foray. Moreover, avoiding peak hours and shopping early for Christmas will allow you to avoid the crowds during the holiday season. Being on the lookout for discounts will also give you the best value for your money and make your Christmas shopping experience both enjoyable and gratifying.
3. Create Some of the Christmas Recovery Recipes, Complete the Simbang Gabi, and Christmas Staycation
Creating Christmas recovery recipes, completing the nine-day Simbang Gabi (evening masses), and Christmas staycation shared the third spot on this list.
Create Some of the Christmas Recovery Recipes
Creating your own Christmas recovery recipes allow you to get a quick and flavorful bite without messing up your diet.
It’s no question that Filipinos love food. And this love for food may even be the reason why we eat too much during special occasions, particularly during Christmas. Due to this, some of our readers want to recover from the food coma they experience after overindulging themselves during the season by creating Christmas recovery recipes. While there are several Christmas recovery recipes available online, you may also opt to put your own personal touch to make the dishes unique. Additionally, these recipes allow you to spoil yourself without having to worry about ruining your diet.
Complete the Simbang Gabi
Millions of Filipinos wake up before dawn to attend Simbang Gabi as part of their preparation for Christmas.
The Simbang Gabi is one of the most treasured Christmas traditions among Filipinos. Every year, millions of Filipino Catholics wake up before the crack of dawn to attend the mass. It is a tradition that was introduced by Spanish friars who allowed farmers to attend mass before they tend to their fields early in the morning. Aside from the belief that completing the nine days of the Simbang Gabi will grant a personal wsh, Filipinos also look forward to the food prepared right after the mass. Among the food normally served after the mass are the bibingka (rice cakes) and puto bumbong (steamed purple pastries).
Christmas Staycation
Many hotels offer special rates for rooms if they prefer staycations to avoid the stress of traveling during the holidays.
In the past, Filipinos normally go home to the provinces to spend Christmas with their families. But in recent years, there has been a growing trend for families to spend Christmas at a hotel. With many people leaving the city, it will be less crowded during the holidays. Instead of joining many others who brave the trip, some families prefer to book a stay at a hotel close to them. In fact, several hotels in the metro offer deals for families who opt to avoid all the hassle of going on a trip. These deals include special rates, food and beverage discounts, and access to the amenities of the hotel.
2. Watch MMFF Entries, Videoke Session At Home, and Gift Giving
Second spot belongs to another trio of Christmas activities Filipinos enjoy: watching MMFF entries, videoke sessions at home, and gift giving.
Watch MMFF Entries
On Christmas day, Filipinos will fill up movie theaters around the country to watch the best movies produced by the local film industry every year.
The holiday season is special for local filmmakers since they can showcase their storytelling talents during the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). Moreover, only the eight selected films are shown in movie theaters around the country throughout the festival. Due to this, many Filipinos prefer watching the MMFF entries since they have numerous theater options where they can watch their favorite movies. The MMFF starts on Christmas day and will run up until the first weekend of January.
Videoke Sessions At Home
Since singing is in the blood of Filipinos, videoke sessions are among their popular activities during Christmas.
Since Filipinos are known to be great singers, it is not surprising to have videoke (music entertainment system) sessions at home. Moreover, numerous videoke bars have popped up like mushrooms all over the country. This love for singing has become a part of Filipino culture since it represents the sense of family and belongingness among Filipinos. For Christmas, the songs of Jose Mari Chan may be on top of the song list along with songs of popular local and international musicians.
Gift Giving
The size of the gift does not matter if you give something the recipient will value for a long time.
Who doesn’t like receiving gifts during Christmas? While many people love receiving gifts, others take joy in being able to give something nice to somebody else. Giving may be better than receiving, but you should not go into debt just to be able to give something special to a loved one. To avoid this, you should make a gift list and set a budget for each gift you will give. You may even personalize your gift if the budget is somewhat tight. Some gift ideas include a specially-framed photo of the recipient or a gift card from their favorite coffee shop. What is important is that you put a lot of thought to your gift and make sure it is something they will value. In the end, it’s always the thought that counts.
Yoorekka has helpful articles that can guide you this Christmas season!
1. Noche Buena
The ham is one of the mainstays on the dinner table for Noche Buena.
Topping this list of the best things to do on Christmas is the Noche Buena. When translated from its Spanish root, it simply means “good night”. But for Filipinos, it is more than that. It is an evening where the family comes together for a special dinner on Christmas Eve. This normally comes after the family attends the Misa de Gallo (Christmas Eve mass). After the mass, the family gathers around the dinner table filled with traditional Christmas dishes, which includes the lechon (roasted suckling pig), pancit (long rice noodles), queso de bola (cheese ball), and ham. Additionally, the dinner table may also have relyenong bangus (stuffed milkfish), fried chicken, and lumpia (spring rolls). This is probably the most meaningful meal of the year for Filipino families. Moreover, no one takes a bite to eat until the clock strikes twelve.
Filipinos have numerous Christmas traditions showing how much they value the most wonderful day of the year.
About Peter Parcon
After leaving spending 16 years of his professional life in the academe, Peter decided to try his luck in the world of online freelancing. For the past eight years, he has been creating content for clients all around the world. He can work on just about any topic - from tattoos to technology and food to finance. He dreams of visiting every island in the archipelago some day.
Learn more stories on:
Location Tags:
Disclaimer: All articles in the Consumers Magazine of Yoorekka are
for general information and entertainment purposes only. Although
careful research has been made in writing them, Yoorekka does not
make any warranty about the completeness and accuracy of all
information presented in our articles. Our content is not intended
to be used in place of legal, medical, or any professional advice.
ALSO READ
CATEGORIES
VIDEO MARKET PLACE
FOLLOW US ON
MORE STORIES AROUND THE PHILIPPINES
